Vending machine



0.1. HOTALING.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED` NOV. 4| 1920. 1,414,085.. Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

3 SHLETS-SHEET1. s P Y* J r, s m n H h N l By 0.1. HOTALING.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4. 1920.

al Sheets-SHEET z.

W/TA/ESSES 2g auen/WG Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

W v Immers 0.1. HOTALING.

VENDING MACHINE.

Odj, HomL/N@ BY Y@ A TTOR/VEYS Y Y tion is to lpro-videanextremely simple andA V:l n

unirse @rares raient/@Eems (man J. HorrAmnd-or nAs'r ort/irren, new JERSEY.

Verema Mamme s pgcncaion'f message. Patented apr, a5, ieee;

A Application ille'cl'rovember 4, 192.9. "Serial'id 421,562.

4in eXpen sive delivery mechanism for vending machines which comprises relatively fev'v ivorv'king parts which are assembled and rel-ated'i'n Such a manner as to positively feed by gravity the articlesto be'ldispensed.

' Another object ofthe invention resides' in the provision yor" a delivery mechanism, normtally locked against operationand coinor check actuated mechanism for releasing the same to permit of ope-ration ot the delivery mechanism.

The inventionv further contemplates the provision of a delivery mechanism .for noncircular, identically-shaped articles,- in combination with means u tor maintaining a stack of ysaid articles against relative rotation vvith the greatest dimension of =eachxarticle out of alignment with respect tothe neX-t adjacent article whereby fthe lowermo'st arti# cles will support the remainder of the stack until relative rotation 'between ithe delivery ineclianism and the stack has been effected.

l yfurthe-r objeotin view to provide a s stack Isupporting and releasing member provided .with a non-circular .delivery ,openingV of identical ormationnto the artilesof .the stackfivhereby upon relativey rotation` of said stacksupporting and releasing member and the staclr, the lower'rnost article of the cessively deliver .the same; i still Vfurther obj ect ofz he'inventlon is' to provide 4an .operating` means for effecting stack will-.be released', -to singly and sucrelative Arota-tion ofthe stack supporting and releasing member and the stack 4and `a .lock- .ing device for said operating-means together with .a coin actuated mechanism for releasf in said locking device. 1

' .ue .to the ifact thatfthe lockreleasing'rmechanism must necessarily allow for Aan initial movement to permit the com or check ktherethrough takeny ap f ing means.

to effect a release ofthe saine, it has been 'found necessary-to 'provide a means 'for' returningithe mechanism` to normal position it is therefore apfurther object of .the invention toV provide means for accomplish in' said `return movement". y

IifVith the above recited and otherobjects `and advantages invievv which ivill appear from following detailed description, reference 1s hadfto the accompanying draw# wherein:

ing formingV part ot this 'applic/ation, 'l'

f Figure l is a front elevation of a vending constructed in accordanceivith" the invention.

view therethrough. l.

Figure 3 is la horizontal sectionalf vievvV y i vrproXirnatelyon the line 3 3Y of Figure y2.

i 70 'Figure 2 is a. vertical transverse sectional QU'- Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the of FigureZ. f i, Figure 5 is a detail front elevation ofa portion of the .operating and locking means Vfor Y the deliveryv mechanism, andy thev coin actuated releasing means therefor, parts' bef- "inglbroken aivayto idisclose.the underlying structure.

Figure 6 is a sectional line v'6 6 01E-Figure 5.

View taken on the Figure 7-.1s a vlevv similarto Figure illustrating the position `of parts when the f same vebeen operated release the loc-lr- Y Figure 8 is' a'rear elevation of the `'parts illustrated in Figure 5; 1

1 -eferring to thedrawings by characters of` reference vvhich'! denote' like parts throughout lthe several views thereoi,` l0

designates a cabinetydivided horizontally to provide an upper receptacle 11 tor-the arti-V cles'to be dispensed and 'a-'lovver comparte ment i12 invvhich is arranged'a` deliveryjslide 13 which v-functions'fto gravitationallyurei Yceive and .deliverthe Aarticlesfthrough'ade- V100 i livery" opening 14" in, .the vtronut Wall of lsaid compartment; T he machine.isdesigned iter vending non-,circular articlesoit' identical shape .such @as illustrated .in .thedraivings bythe character f5 arid-the delivery mec/lr non-.circular is-,einployedl in its lbroa-(giestv sense .to convey the vi'nean'ing-that the articles i by? 11 o` of! whatsoever Ashape may bef dispensed i'oel Y`anism Yof themachine :depends for-'its operk ation `on .articles ot this shape; The I- tjerm machine which have a major dimension greater than the other or others. To accomplish the purpose of the invention the'packy ages are arranged in stacked relation with the greatest dimension of each disposed out of alignment with the next adjacent article. By wayvof illustration the articles are shown as oblong and in this instance, to maintain the same `against relative movement with respect to eachother when so stacked, the receptacle is provided with a partition 16, having stepped depressions 1 7 and 13, which accommodate respectively, the end of each alternate article and the side of the remaining articles. In order to gain access to the interior of the receptacle an opening adapted to receive a removable front panel 19 is provided. The panel has secured to the inner face the brackets 2O which support the vertical guide bars 21, arranged in such a manner when closed, as to function and coact with the depressions 1'? and 13 to maintain an alternate arrangement of the packagesV 15 in the stack, against relative moven ment. The front of the lower compartment 12 is closed by door 22 hinged as at 23, and the upper edge of said door is provided with rearwardly projecting, apertured lugs 24 de-V signed to receive studs 25 depending from the lower end of the panel when thesame is positioned to close the receptacle 11. A suitablekey actuated lock 26 serves to secure the .panel in closed position and further functions, through the medium of vthe .engagement of the studs 25 with the apertured lugs 24, to obstruct the opening of the door until the panel has been unlocked and removed. Y Y 1 The delivery mechanism or means for successively releasing the lowermost packages fromthe'stack, comprises a rotary'disc 27, disposed horizontally within the cabinet immediately below the receptacle 11. VThe periphery of the disc is provided with a depending annular rack .2S and theV disc is mounted for rotation on the annular flange 29, supported from the walls of the cabinet. The disc is provided with a centrally arrangedoblong opening 30 which is of a corresponding shapeand appropriate size to permit of the passage of the Vpackages l5 therethrough, when the major dimension of said opening and package coincide. Norn mally the lowermost package supports the stack until the disc is rotated,- due to the fact that the major'dimension of the disc and the opening are out of alignment. 'When the disc is rotated, it will be apparentthat the opening 30 will coincide and register with the lowermost package to permit the` sameV to drop therethrough by gravity.V It will Y be further apparent that eac-h corresponding movement of the disc will serve to release" the packages successively, until the stack isv de- The mechanism for operating theA disc comprises an operating shaft 31, journaled in the door 22 and provided with an eX- tcriorly arranged operating crank handle 32. Keyed to the inner end of the operating shaft is a pinion 33, the teeth of which mesh with the annular' rack 23 to transmit .motion from the roperating' shaft to the disc. r1`he ratio of the pinion 33 to the rack 28 is here illus trated as four to onewhereby a quarter revog lution of the rack is effected upon each revolution of the pinion. A ratchet mechanism including ratchet wheel 34 keyed to the operating shaft 31, and ratchet pawl 35niount- Ved on the door 22, functions to limit the roe tation of the operating shaft in an anticlockwise direction. The means for locking the operating handle and shaft against free rotation in a clockwise direction, comprises a barrel 36` keyed to the operating shaft, and provided with an annular groove 37 to freely receive the nose 33 of a locking pawl 39 mounted on a stud 40 projecting from the inner surface of the doorl 22. A locking notch 41 is formed in the bottom wall of the groove to engage the nose 38 of the pawl for locking the barrel after each Irevolution.

rlhe locking vpawl is provided with a transversely projecting trunnion 42 and the barrel is provided` with a radial coin receiving depression 43 at one side of the locking notch and in parallel relation to the groove 37, whereby upon the reception of the proper coin or check, an initial rotation of the Vdrum will effect the engagement of the periphery of the coin with the trunnion 42, torlift the nose 33 of the pawl out of engagement with the locking notch 41. The door is provided withk an upstanding coin guide 44 having a coin receiving opening 45 in its front face, which communicateswith the coin slot 46 therein, whereby upon the insertion of a coin, the same will be guided to ,properlyV gravtate into the coin receiving depression 43. Asit is essential to Apermit of an initial free rotary movement Vof the operating shaft to allow the coin to engage the trunnion for releasing the nose'39 of the locking pawl from the locking notch, it is necessaryto construct the ratchet wheel 34 to admit of av position to normally dispose the coin receiving depression beneath the coin slot and toV thisr end a return arm 47' is provided which is journaled on `the ystud V40. A tension" spring 48 connects thelreturnrarm- 47 and- `locking pan/1.40 for the dual purpose. of'rre;

ico

taining the'nose of the pawl 40 in engagev rection to'cause the heel 49 thereof to engage with the wall 50 vof the notch 51whereby the drum will bei rotated anti-clockwise, until the ratchet mea-ns functions .to prevent ther rotation in Asuch a direction.

In use ofthe machine,'the stack of alternately :arranged Iarticles or packages is placed in the Vreceptacle 11, with `the major serted in the opening 45 and will gravitate through the coin slot 46 into lthe coin receiving depression 43 of the barrel. -The operating :handle 32 `is then 'rotated clock-wisc or in the direction indicated; by the -MTOW' on Figure 1y o f thedrawings. IThe initial rotation of the crank handle operating shaft yand barrel 36 will effect the engagement of the periphery of the coin with the trunnion 42to`lift the nose 38 of the-locking pawl 39 whereby the 'locking notch 41 may pass beyond the nose of the pawl. Further rotation of the drum will disengage the coin from the trunnion 42 and permit the nose 38 of the pawl to be drawn into engagement with the bottom of the groove 37 vunder the action of the tension spring 48 whereby the nose of the pawl will be in a position to be drawn by said spring'into the locking notch 41 when a complete revolution of the drum has been made. As the drum and operating shaft revolve, pinion 33 which is also keyed to the operatingshaft turns therewith and due to the engagement of its teeth with the annular rack on the disc 27, said disc will be rotated thereby. As illustrated the ratio Y of the pinion 33 and the rack 28 is four to one.I therefore a complete revolution of the operating crank arm will rotate the disc 27 one quarter of a revolution, which will bring the major axis of the opening 30 in the disc into registry with the major axis of the lowermost article or package 15 of the stack. This will permit said lowermost package to fall through the opening and gravitate down the delivery slide 13 thence through the delivery opening 14. When'the coin receiving depression during the rotation of the barrel, reaches a point immediately abovevthe coin receptacle 52 on the front wall of theflower compartment, the coin will gravitate therefrom into said receptacle. The ratchet wheel 34 and pawl 35 function inthe usual manner to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft` barrel and pinion, but as heretofore described one tooth'is preferably omitted in order that a slight retrograde movement may be had, should the drum upon completionof one revolution advance therebeyond to a point where the `nose 38 of the locking pawl engages the end of the locking slot 41.V By the omission of this tooth provision is made-to permit the tension spring 48 to automatical y rotate the drum antiv50 of the slot 51 as the return arm issw-ung lu-pward under the action of the tension clockwise until the ratchet :pawlengages .the next tooth This slightfretrograde InOVQ- ment is accomplished bythe engagement of Y the Yheel 49 of the returnarm 'with the end vspring 48. When it is desired to refill the receptacle'and collect coi-ns depositedin the coin receptacle, the removable panel is 'unlocked and; removed thereby uncovering ythe opening in the ,cabinet and permitting the door 22 to be swung open upon its hinges.

Thismachine be varied to accommodate articles of various shapes which have one dimension greater than the other or articles fallingunder'the general term of: a non-circular shape, the only limitation necessary is ,that the shape ,of the opening and L thesupporting and releasing disc must cor.-` resp'ond to the shape of the articles-tobe vended yfrom the machine. fn f: While there has been illustrated and described a single and preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the right is reserved to variousother forms than those actually illustratech to then full extent of the general meaning inwhich the terms., of the claims are expressed, or by variations in the'phrasing of the same.v

i Having thus described Ymy` invention, I- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent k1. In a vending machine for non-circular 8 0 `others and will operate equally as well on square, oval, polygonal, hexagonal or othei' Vat ioo

articles, the combination with vmeans for maintaining the articles in cross stacked relation and a` stack supporting and .delivery member, of a coin controlled mechanism for veffecting Vrelative rotation between the stack and said member to release and deliver the lowermost article, comprising an annular, rack on said member, a crank shaft,.a'pinion securedthereto and -meshing with the rack, means for preventing vrota-tionl of the crank shaft in one, direction, a drum secured to the crank shaft, a locking notch in said drum, a pawl pivotally mounted adjacent said drum and adapted to normallyA engage said notch for preventing rotation of the shaft in the other direction,`a coinv receiving slot in the drum, and a trunnion on the pawl disposed in the path of movement of the coin and adaptedto coactvwith Y.

the coin to release the pawl from the locking` notch topermit of freerotation ofthe Y crank shaft. i i y y2. In a vending machine,rthe combination of a rotary `apertured deliverydisk f and :superposed means adapted to support and maintain a plurality of articles to be'vended in cross stacked relation, of coin controlled f mechanism for rotating said disk comprising an annularrack on said disk, ay crank shaft, a pinion secured thereto andmeshkl O and a trunnion on the pawl disposed in the path of movement of the coin and adapted to coaot With the coin to release the pawl from the locking notch 'to permit of free rotation of the crank shaft.

3. In aV vending machine, the combination of a rotary apertured delivery disk and superposed means adapted to support and maintain a plurality of articles to be vended in cross stacked relation, of coin controlledV mechanism for rotating said disk comprising ra rotary actuating shaft having operative connection with the disk for rotating the same therewith, means for preventing rotation of said shaft in one direction, means for normally locking the same against r0- tation in the opposite direction, a member mounted on said shatt having a coin receiving notch adapted to engage the locking means for releasing the same upon initial movement of the actuating shaft.

4, A vending machine for oblong articles comprising a cabinet having a lovver de? livery compartment and a superposed receiving compartment, a rotary deliveryV -member separating the same and provided with an oblong delivery opening there- Y through to admit of the passage yof the articles therethrough when the major axis of the articles and the opening coincide, means in the receiving compartment for maintaining the articles in cross stackedv relation, means for preventing rotation of the delivery member in one direction, means for locking said member against rotation in the opposite direction, and coin operated means for actuating the releasing means.

oMAR J. HorALiNG. 

